Weighted pivoted sign



April 12, 1949. l.. c. CAPPER 2,467,187

WBIGHTEDTIVOTED SIGN Filed June 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 El i# April 12, 1949. C, CAPPER 2,467,187

WEIGHTED PIVOTED SIGN Filed June 16. 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 me/who@ yz/'Ze C. Ua/Wper Paanied Apr. 12, 1949 UNITED STATES` PATENT GFFICE wmon'rsn rrvo'rnn SIGN Lyle C. Capper,'Lisbon, Iowa Application :une 1s, 1945, semi No. 599,915

s claims. (c1. 40-1381 panel and a mounting therefor whereby the panel I will feather under air pressure so that the life of the structure is materially prolonged.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sign comprising a base structure and a display panel detachably mounted upon the supporting structure and wherein the panel is supported to move under the action of air currents.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved sign whereby certain important advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a sign construoted in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on thev line 3-3 of Figure 1, a second position of the panel being indicated by broken lines;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating certain details;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of an end portion of the base memberi In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figure 1, S denotes suitably spaced standards or posts which can, if desired, be comprised in a fence structure. These standards or posts S are of desired dimensions and can be made of such material as may be preferred.

The upper portions of the standards or posts S are provided with opposed bearing assemblies I of an antifriction type and which provide mountings for the outstanding trunnions 2 carried by the upper portions of the side arms 3 of a base member M. This base member M is of desired dimensions and of such material as may be preferred.

As illustrated in the drawings, the base member M comprises an integrally formed cradle, pivoted to the standards S at a point above the center of gravity of the cradle assembly by virtue of the 2 position of the pivots or trunnions 2 at the upper ends of the upwardly extending side arms 3 of the cradle M.

The arms 3 are relatively short and the intermediate horizontal element 4 of the base member M which is formed integrally with the arms 3 is herein disclosed as tubular and straight from end to end and preferably parallel to the axis of rotation which extends through the trunnions 2. The bore-of the element 4 which is preferably also parallel to the axis of rotation, which extends through the trunnions 2, also extends in the preferred arrangement axially through the intermediate member 4 of the cradle M and is also of suilicient size to receive the desired quantity of weighting material. The bore of the element 4 comprises a receiver for weighting material and at its opposite ends is open and such open ends are normally closed by the releasable caps or gate members 5 or the like.

The base member M is adapted to have placed therein a suitable weighting medium 6 which can be as desired as, for example, stones, sand, iron weights or any other material which can be employed to advantage. This weighting medium 6 is employed to effect the desired balance of the-base member M and the applied panel P to maintain the panel P normally in a vertical position yet permitting tilting or feathering of said panel P upon abnormal air pressure upon the panel as may be the result of wind, the passing of vehicles or from any other cause, whereby the liability of the panel P being blown to the ground or otherwise damaged is substantially eliminated.

By regulating or properly selecting the weighting medium 6 within the element 4, the panel P of any desired size can be balanced `in an upright or vertical position to withstand varying degrees of air pressure. For example, should the tilting or feathering of the panel P be dangerous to passing tramo, the media 6 will be such as to require extremely high winds to rock or tilt the panel P.

It is," therefore, believed to be obvious vthat as the weight of the medium 6 is reduced, the degree of air pressure necessary to tilt or feather the panel P will be correspondingly reduced.

The opposed or innerl faces of the arms 3 of the base member M are provided therealong with the relatively deep grooves or channels 1 in which is slidably engaged from above the lower corner marginal portions of the applied panel P and when so applied, the holding members 8, such asbolts or the like, are inserted through the inner portions of the arms 3 and the adjacent marginal portions of the applied panel P, whereby the panel is eectively anchored in applied or working position. It should be observed that only the lower portion of the panel engages any portion of the base or cradle structure, thereby permitting the use of panels of any desired height which can be suitably balanced by the combined weight of the cradle M andthe weighting material or weights 6.

- It is believed to be readily apparent that a sign constructed in accordance with anl embodiment of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings is one which does not require the use of braces or struts of any kind and it is to be emphasized that the sign is one which can be comprised within a fence structure and, therefore, requires no leasing of ground as no ground space will be required to place the sign as the standards or posts S can be included in a fence structure. Y

It is also a particular advantage of the present sign to have the panel readily removable and .easily applied. This permits the desired display matter to be placed upon the panel at a location remote from the point of placement of the panel. It is also believed to be readily apparent that the sign as herein embodied is of a character to readily allow display matter to be placed on both sides of the panel P in contradistinction to the type of road signs or the like now generally in use. l

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a sign constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

1. A sign mounting structure, comprising, in combination, a base member including upstanding side arms and an intermediate element havingva hollow portion, weighting means in the hollow portion of said intermediate element, closure means for closing said hollow portion, and means connecting the upper portions of said arms to support means for supporting said base member for swinging movement, the weighting means within the hollow portion of said intermediate element operating to normally maintain said base member in a position with said side arms substantially vertically disposed and with the intermediate element lower than the axis of ,said swinging movement.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the hollow portion of said intermediate element has an opening through which said weighting means may be introduced and withdrawn, and wherein said closure means is releasably associated with said opening for retaining said weighting means within said element, and a sign panel mounted upon said base member.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the hollow portion of said intermediate element has two ends and is open at both ends, and wherein said closure means is releasably associated with said open ends-for retaining said weighting means within said element.

4. A pivoted, balanced sign structure comprising spaced supports, aligned tubular bearings in the supports, a base between the supports comprising in one piece a heavy horizontal bar having 70 a short integral, right angle arm extending upwardly from each end, a bore formed longltudling outwardly therefrom through a bearing to` swingingly support the base member for swing- .ing movement about an axis above and parallel to said horizontal bar, each of said arms having a groove in and longitudinally of its inner side, a panel having the lower end thereof slidably engaged at opposite edges in the arm grooves and resting upon the top of said bar, securing elements between the arms and the panel, and loose weighting material in said bore sumcient to maintain said panel normally in substantially vertical position above said horizontal bar.

5. A sign support, comprising, in combination, spaced uprights, a base member interposed therebetween and including downwardly extending side arms and a hollow intermediate substantially horizontally extending element between adjacent lower end portions of said side arms, outstanding trunnions carried by the opposite upper end portions of said side arms, bearings carried by the uprights with which said trunnions engage to support the base member for swinging movement upon said uprights, and weighting material carried in said hollow intermediate element which may be removed therefrom while said intermediate element and said side arms remain assembled.

6. A sign, comprising, incombination, spaced uprights, a base member interposed therebetween 40 and including downwardly extending side arms and an intermediate substantially horizontally extending element between adjacent lower end portions of said side arms, said intermediate element having a hollow portion, trunnions carried by the upper end portions of said side arms, bearings carried by the uprights with which said trunnions engage to support the base member for swinging movement upon said uprights, a display panel supported upon the base member, and

a weighting medium removably carried in the hollow portion of said intermediate element for normally balancing the side arms of the base member and applied panel in a vertical position above said intermediate element, said weighting material being removable from said hollow intermediate element, whereby to permit the selection of the desired weighting material necessary to achieve the desired degree of balance of said display panel.

eo LYLE c. CAPPER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 664,049 Johnson Dec. 18, 1900 1,239,033 Norwood i Sept. 4,- -1917 1,750,118 Mueller et al. Mar. 11, 1930 2,323,157 Senesac e June 29, 1943 

